Cons

Standard rooms are a little narrow

Some rooms are shower only

Fee for breakfast

Bottom Line

Situated in a Modernist section of the Eixample a half-block from Placa de Catalunya, the 92-room Hotel Pulitzer Barcelona is housed in a beautifully restored 1920s building. The superbly designed hotel features sumptuous yet understated interiors with rich materials of wood, leather, and stone. The lavish rooms come with plush beds and flat-screen TVs. The excellent dining and drinking venues include a rooftop bar, a hip place to mingle and take in city views. The hotel also offers free access to a nearby health club with indoor pool. The Pulitzer is an excellent choice for travelers looking for an upscale stay near La Rambla and Passeig de Gracia.

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Cool party vibe, Art Deco-inspired interiors with a modern boutique edge

Designed by the acclaimed Barcelona designer Lazaro Rosa-Violan, the Pulitzer's light-filled, airy interiors are imaginatively decorated and utterly inviting. The ornate front desk is made from gilt-edged panels taken from a Sicilian church. The Art Deco-inspired public spaces are done in black, brown, and white, and have objets d'art, framed prints, and photos, fresh flowers, and Asian accents such as Chinese lanterns and antique red Chinese trunks. The library is decked out with black lacquered bookshelves, zebra print rugs, and soft white leather sofas. Rooms continue the same decorative feel, with hardwood floors, wood furniture, plush beds, and artwork. The Pulitzer draws a young hip crowd to its buzzy party vibe and rooftop bar, but older travelers can rest assured that the hotel's atmosphere is not overbearing and that rooms are quiet.

The Pulitzer is located in the heart of the action on the Carrer de Bergara, a half-block west of Placa de Catalunya and the Catalunya metro stop. The bustling La Rambla is one and a half blocks southeast, the Passeig de Gracia is two and a half blocks east, and La Boqueria market is five and a half blocks south of the hotel. Gaudi's Casa Batllo is six blocks north. Barcelona–El Prat Airport is nine miles southwest.

The five-floor Pulitzer has 92 richly decorated rooms, with hardwood floors, wood and leather furnishings, colorful artwork, and marble-and-stone bathrooms. The standard rooms are a little narrow, but overall the rooms are spacious. All rooms feature plasma TVs, free Wi-Fi, desks, safes, minibars, bathrobes, slippers, and plush beds with Egyptian cotton linens. Superior rooms have leather Chesterfield sofas, Bose stereos, iPod docks, balconies, and picture windows. Suites have a sun terrace. All rooms are modern boutique in style but not to the detriment of comfort and elegance. Smoking rooms are available, and some rooms are shower only.

The Pulitzer's emphasis is on providing stylish dining and drinking venues. A terrific spot for a sunset cocktail, the chic Visit Up rooftop bar draws a young and glamorous crowd who come for its views, DJs, and live music in the summer. The Visit lobby bar serves innovative cocktails and light fare, while the Visit fine-dining restaurant offers inspiring Mediterranean cuisine with seasonal menu changes in a glass conservatory space with an outdoor terrace. There are no recreation facilities on site, but the Pulitzer offers free passes to the nearby Holmes Place, a top-notch health club with indoor pool, sauna, spa tub, and fitness center. Guests of the Pulitzer can rent a foldable Brompton bicycle (for a fee) to tool around Barcelona. The hotel also has a business center and on-site parking (for a fee).